Government News

The focus of research & development (R&D) activities in the manufacturing sector is guided by many factors, including the global economic environment, domestic and international demand, regulations and standards, the nature of competitive global supply, the general level of confidence within the sector, and the subsequent capacity of domestic manufacturers to invest in research, innovation, capital equipment and human resources. To assist the rail industry to reduce barriers in undertaking R&D activities, the Rail Manufacturing CRC was formed. The Rail Manufacturing CRC is an industry-led Cooperative Research Centre supporting industry to develop new products, technologies and supply chain networks to increase Australian rail manufacturing’s competitiveness, capacity and productivity. The Centre is funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, and will operate until June 2020. Making connections in rail The Rail Manufacturing CRC connects Australian rail businesses with universities and research institutions that are leading the way in innovative rail research. Rail…

The collaborative project, ‘Repair Bot’, will employ robotics and 3D printing, along with complex materials, to enable an automated rapid repair service for plastic car parts. Inspiration for the project stemmed from the need for a technology-driven solution to overcome numerous issues facing the automotive repair industry. These issues range from material wastage, complex and restrictive design elements, the limited availability of skilled labour, and the long lead times and inventory holdings for replacement parts. Tradiebot Founder Mario Dimovski believes the project’s potential benefits go far beyond just the automotive collision industry. “The ability to repair previously non-repairable parts using world-first technology will reduce overall repair times and repair costs,” explains Dimovski. “It will also create real and significant export opportunities and has flow-on benefits for the environment by reducing land-fill. Tradiebot will also deliver new future skills to the industry as more processes become automated.” Research the key to unlocking…

The Facility for Intelligent Fabrication (FIF) combines the knowledge and resources of the UoW, TAFE NSW and the Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA). FIF was formed in recognition of the changing business climate, as the Illawarra transitions from large-scale heavy manufacturing, and the need for local manufacturers to innovate and adapt to remain competitive. The facility draws on decades of research-based welding and automation expertise and welding training at both UOW and TAFE NSW, enabling local firms with their own history of fabrication expertise to access specialised knowledge and skills in automation. FIF will develop and implement solutions to industry challenges and provide demonstrations of technology and proof-of-concept, including prototype development. It will also support the adoption of new technology with technical education, training and certification support. Gareth Ward MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Education and the Illawarra and South Coast, launched the facility on behalf of John Barilaro, Deputy Premier, Minister for Regional New South Wales, Minister for Skills, and Minister…

AMT: Let’s start with Brand Tasmania. When was it established and what are its aims and objectives? Michael Grainger: The Brand Tasmania Council was formed in the early 1990s. It was established by a group of like-minded individuals who were exporting and promoting Tasmanian product all over the world. It became affiliated with the State Government not long after that and has grown over the years to represent Tasmania in many different aspects – for example, food & beverages, tourism, manufacturing, education and the arts are all pillars of our organisation. We share a fairly broad and equal range of promotion. AMT: What sort of activities does it engage in to achieve its objectives? MG: We engage really with the Tasmanian companies that are represented by Brand Tasmania to promote what they do, encourage and stimulate growth in the economy, create employment and just promote all things that are Tasmanian. We attend trade shows, we have our eFriends mailing list, a very big subscription for our Tasmanian…

One way to anticipate the future is to look to the past. British economist Angus Maddison has estimated that in the year 0, the population of Western Europe was 24.7m. A millennium later it was 25.4m, an increase of just 700,000. Total global population increased by only 37.3m in 1,000 years. Had we continued at this pace, in 2015 there would have been 312m people on Earth. Gross domestic product fared even worse. Between the year 0 and 1,000 - GDP per capita was stagnant or fell across all of Maddison’s seven global zones. Over the next 800 years, the pace quickened a little. World population quadrupled to crack the billion for the first time. By 1819, the Eastern European population of 91.2m generated some $60.9bn worth of stuff (1990 International $) or $665 per person. Then in 1820 everything changed, sort of. Fuelled by a potent mix of technology, ideas, appropriated resources, and a distressing number of…

Doxa has selected 12 business-minded young achievers from a diverse range of backgrounds for Cadetship. These individuals are motivated, talented, tenacious and have overcome enormous barriers in their pursuit to stay engaged in education. 44% of applicants this year are studying a STEM subject. This CSR-aligned social investment opportunity offers Program Partners a talented STEM undergraduate as part of their team; skilled volunteering opportunities for existing staff; and a chance to change the life of a high-achieving young Australian from a disadvantaged background. Doxa supports Cadetship Program Partners by providing a shortlist of talented applicants relevant to their sector; building a learning and development framework; providing mentoring; and recruitment support as well as on-boarding advice. “We have a diverse range of Cadets, all in great need,” says Doxa CEO, Steve Clifford. “51% live off a family income of below $30,000 per annum, 24% are refugees/newly arrived migrants, 18% come from rural/regional areas. These young people are experiencing significant disadvantage. They don’t have the social capital, financial support or professional networks that you and I…

In this report, certain generic words such as product and others are used. However it should always be understood that, while manufacturing terminology may be used, the ideas described are equally applicable to service organisations. They may also cover specific elements of a business process, rather than simply the whole business. Many people have the impression that mass customisation is about mass production, and through some magical process allows an unlimited number of variations to be offered to the customer. This is wrong. Mass customisation is about tailoring the offering to the customer, while retaining the lower costs per item that are offered by mass production. This allows SMEs to complete with larger enterprises. Mass customisation is also highly data-driven. Consequently, it is relevant to the ongoing developments in the field of Industry 4.0. From pull to push, and back again Before industrialisation, everything was craft production,…

Set to run well past 2040, the three-part, continuous build program will include 12 submarines, nine frigates and 12 offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). Canberra hopes it will do away with the cyclical, feast/famine nature of the sector, allowing it to build up muscle tissue, target export markets, and improve the digital literacy of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved. As Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull put it, when the winning Future Submarine bid was finally announced in 2016: “The spin-offs to the rest of the economy will be immense.” The nature and magnitude of spinoffs from this “generations-long national endeavour” of naval work will be known later. However, the efforts needed to grow the SMEs (there are an estimated 3,000 SMEs in the sector, according to the Defence Industry Policy Statement) that will support the endeavour are already underway. The Australian Manufacturing Growth Centre has described the submarine project, properly approached, as offering a “moon-shot opportunity” for…

The plan is designed to boost Australian industry, increase investment, and create more jobs for Australian businesses. According to the Government, a strong, exporting defence industry in Australia will provide greater certainty of investment, support high-end manufacturing jobs, and support the capability of the Australian Defence Force. The Defence Export Strategy includes several new initiatives and investments, including: A new Australian Defence Export Office, which will work hand-in-hand with Austrade and the Centre for Defence Industry Capability to co-ordinate whole-of-government efforts, providing a focal point for defence exports. A new Australian Defence Export Advocate, who will provide high-level advocacy for defence exports and work across industry and government to ensure all efforts are co-ordinated. A new $3.8bn Defence Export Facility administered by Efic, Australia’s export credit agency. This will help Australian companies get the finance they need to underpin the sales of their equipment overseas. According to the Government, it will provide confidence to the Australian defence industry to identify and pursue new export opportunities…

Many of us have experienced that nervous feeling you get when you’re following a trailer that has begun to sway and it would appear that at any moment it could fishtail out of control. Worse still is the feeling of a loss of control while negotiating the twists and gradient of the road with a trailer in tow. Both circumstances can be stressful, and for both driver and surrounding traffic, potentially very hazardous. Trailers can easily become unstable and cause accidents when braking, swerving, overtaking, driving in high winds or on difficult roads. In 2016, loss of control accounted for 30% of caravan accident claims, with oversteering and fishtailing among the main causes. The need for a solution to this problem was identified by Bosch’s Australian Vehicle Safety Systems engineering team. This prompted an innovation idea and subsequent R&D project in 2014. The parent company acknowledged the local engineering capability and market opportunity, which led to the establishment of a Bosch global Centre of Competence for…

The Australian Institute of Company Directors defines a business as solvent when its current assets equal its current liabilities, or when current assets, minus inventory, are at least half of current liabilities. Unfortunately, many businesses I visit sail very close to the wind, and some are in real trouble without fully understanding why. A shortage in working capital becomes apparent when it’s difficult to pay employees and suppliers on time, or even maintaining good supplier relationships to preserve raw material supply for the business. The key is to maintain proper and planned cash management where cash outlays are delayed up to the maximum possible duration. Concept: Cash Flow = Cash inflows – Cash outflows Cash flow simply means the amount of cash remaining after all outbound payments are made from monies received. Positive cash-flow means that the cash received from sales is more that spent on salaries, expenses, and materials. Negative cash-flow is the opposite and often indicates some underlying problem, or could be a temporary setback. Even profitable businesses can show…

AMT: Tell us about the role of Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman and its broad objectives. Kate Carnell: Sure, well, the legislation was passed through Parliament the year before last – with support from all sides, both major parties and all across benches – that produces an independent office to work for small business. The role is appointed by the Governor General, so it does not report to the government of the day. Small business is defined as businesses under 100 employees, so it’s really small-to-medium business. The legislation sets up two particular roles. One is an advocacy role, and under the advocacy part of what we do, we have input into Government regulation and legislation to ensure it’s small business-friendly. I give advice to the Minister or Ministers on small business issues, and we can hold enquiries: both self-generated enquiries, and also the government can ask us to do particular enquiries into small business issues. The legislation gives us what are pretty much Royal Commission powers. We can seek documents from Government,…

The article – entitled ‘Attracting Investors To Realise Australian Life Sciences Full Potential’ – also reveals that investment in life sciences is increasing, with the sector raising $1.384bn in capital in 2016, and with Federal Government programs like the Biomedical Translation Fund (BTF), stimulating private sector investment. The BTF comprises of $250m in Commonwealth funding, matched by private sector investors contrubutions, and will be used to invest in promising biomedical discoveries. MTP Connect – Accelerating growth in life sciences MTPConnect (The MedTech and Pharma Growth Centre) is one of the Federal Government’s six Industry Growth Centres. The Department of Industry, Innovation and Sciences states that the Industry Growth Centre Initiative enables national action on key issues such as collaboration, commercialisation, international engagement, skills and regulation reform. The Federal Government has allocated $250m for the Growth Centre Initiative over four years…